Ummmmmm...
I think the Qube is a terrific example of design and engineering. Because
it is a linux box at the core, the Qube is quite flexible and very
configurable for admins with basic -> intermediate linux skills. I have a
Qube2 of my own, and have recommended Qubes and Raqs to several clients.
On the other hand...
My experience with "Cobalt Tech Support" - that is, the "official" tech
support from Cobalt (not to be confused with this list!) - has been
abysmally poor. I get "no answers" - "incorrect answers" - "inappropriate
answers" - and just plain "rude answers," but never yet have I received a
prompt, courteous and correct answer to *any* question which I have asked.
>From the level of support which I have received, I suspect the support
"experts" answering email at Cobalt are part-time minimum-wage workers, with
basic training in the Cobalt GUI interface, and a couple-dozen
pre-programmed macro-keys on their keyboards for "canned answers" to most
questions asked. Questions not covered by the canned answers are either
answered incorrectly, or are not answered at ALL.
>From an article I wrote over a month ago (in which I copy-n-paste my emailed
questions and Cobalt Tech Support answers): "...I suspect that xxxx's job
description is to dissuade as many customers as possible from bothering
Cobalt tech support."
Cobalt reminds me of Apple Computer in the 80's - 'insanely great' products
and 'insanely poor' product support. The primary reason we formed Macintosh
User Groups [MUG] in the mid-80's was to get the education and support Apple
failed to provide. I co-founded a MUG in 1985; today it still has over
1,000 paying members - almost 15 years later. This [cobalt-users] mailing
list - and Luke Tymowski's QubeQuorner (http://weblogs.userland.com/qube/) -
serve as virtual-user-groups to get practical and "real" support for our
[Cobalt] product questions. Where else would we go???
The obvious fact remains that, although this list is a form of "community"
for Cobalt product owners, if Cobalt was providing prompt, efficient and
accurate product support, 80% of the postings to this list would be
pointless and would disappear overnight.
If Cobalt were my company, I would be very *proud* of my products, and
extremely *embarrassed* of my customer support. But I suspect no-one is
embarrassed; I further suspect that this is all part of a pre-calculated
business plan... push as much product (profit) as possible, and provide as
little support (expense) as possible. Simple arithmetic. Not rocket
science. Not many other things, either...
Perhaps your experience has been different. Better? I hope so. I can't
remember reading the last posting to this list ranting about how "great"
Cobalt support is; perhaps I missed it?
Just my views...
Doug
---
Doug Forman, MCSE, MCSD (doug@xxxxxxxxxxx)
Incline Systems Inc - Vancouver, WA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of pete monaghan
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 2:34 AM
> To: cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [cobalt-users] cobalt cube
>
>
> If you have not bought the Qube yet I would look elsewhere as it really
> does not do the job properly and support is crap. I use a Qube for this
> purpose here plus giving LAN users web access. It only partly works. I
> have about 40 users. The only problem and its a major one is that e-mail
> which is originally sent via a mailing list such as this cobalt user
> list ends up in the admin account not the user its intended for. I have
> been trying to get my supplier and cobalt support (both Europe and US]
> to sort it out but the only response I have had after over 6 months is
> that it's a known problem (that took 4 months to get) and its being
> worked on by Cobalt.
>
> . In message <4.2.0.58.20000123163758.009aa990@xxxxxxxx>, Duane Cook
> <lists@xxxxxxxxx> writes
> >Hi, I want to use a cobalt cube as my dedicated mail server, teh
> cube would
> >not have any other duties except sending and receving mail. Does anyone
> >else use the cube like this? How many email accounts could it
> hold? How
> >would it perform?
> >
> >Any feedback, would be good.
> >
> >Duane
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >cobalt-users mailing list
> >cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users
>
>